Electrical switches or contactors



March 22, 1960 R. l.. FILLIETTE ELECTRICAL SWITCHES 0R coNTAcToRs 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 5, 1957 N, 1m L17...

March 22, 1960 R. L. FILLIETTE 2,929,903

ELECTRICAL SWITCHES 0R CoN'rAcToRs Filed June 5. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nited States Patent O 2,929,903 ELECTRICAL SWITCHES OR CQNTACTORS Raymond Louis Filliette, Reuil-Malmaison, France, as-

signer to La Telemecanique Electrique, Joffre-Seine, France, a company of the French Republic This invention relates to electrical switches and contactors, i.e. to devices that have relatively movable contacts whether operated by hand, mechanically or otherwise.

A troublesome diiculty with devices of this type is caused by the fact that the contacts require attention and may have to be changed from time to time.

Many contact devices have main contacts through which the main circuit currents flow, and auxiliary contacts through which currents much smaller than the currents in the main circuits flow, the auxiliary contacts being used, for example, to control coils operating the main contact.

To remove contacts from the apparatus in situ, the connecting wiring must as a rule be disconnected with the result that, where a number of wires extend to a single group of contacts, errors can occur during reassembly. Removal of the contacts from the inside of a complicated piecel of apparatus is usually very diiiicult and results in the plant including the contactor being out of action for an excessive time.

According to the present invention, in order to minimise the diiTiculty above referred to, a set of contacts for a switch or contactor is constructed so as to be replaceable as a unit and has means lfor connecting the contacts electrically to terminal connectors provided for them on the switch or contactor. The connecting wiring is permanently connected to the terminal convectors and therefore does not have to be disturbed when the contacts are replaced.

It is advantageous to provide a standard set of contacts applicable to a number of diiterent switches or contactors so as to avoid the need to have a number of different types of contact sets available when a number of different types of switches or contactors have to be maintained.

Preferably the contact unit is secured to the contactor proper by two elements connecting the terminals on the contactor itself and the stationary contacts on the contact unit thus providing an electrical and mechanical con nection of the contact unit to the contactor proper.

In one construction connecting elements consist of a screwthreaded member such as a bolt or the like and of a projecting member on the contact unit engaging in an aperture on the contactor proper or equivalent means, or beneath a projection on the contactor so that the whole contact block can be removed from the contactor merely by unscrewing one threaded member. The electrical connection between contactor and the contact block in this case is provided by a resilient and electrically conductive member, such as a spring. In this manner continuous electrical contact between the two parts is maintained notwithstanding vibrations, shocks or the like which the device may undergo.

In order that the invention will be fully understood, examples of it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of a contactor embodying a contact block according to the invention and f'ce Figures 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views of three alternative embodiments of the invention.

Like elements have the same references in the various figures.

Referring to Figure 1, which shows a normally open contactor, the contact block formed by an insulating base 1 carrying stationary contacts 2, and a moving assembly comprising a moving contact 3 moved into and out of contact with the stationary contacts 2 by rod 4 through the agency of a spring 5 and return spring 6. The moving contact 3 is normally held away from stationary contacts 2 by the spring 6 but when pressure is applied to the upper end of rod 4 the contacts are brought together. The spring 5 ensuring that they are firmly held together.

The block is tted to an insulated current lead in support 7 of the contactor, circuit breaker or the like by connecting elements 8 and 9 in the form 'of two screws which not only secure the block to the support 7 but also provide the electrical connection between the stationary contact 2 and conductors 10, 11. To this end, the screws 8 and 9 are secured in members 12, 13 which are connected to the support 7 and act as current supply terminals.

It will be apparent that the contact block can be detached from the contactor merely by removing the screws 8 and 9 and can be immediately replaced by another such block, without detaching the current supply conductors from the contactor itself withoutv difficulty or danger.

In Figure 1', the rod 4 is shown as being held down by an actuating member 14 which forms part of the switch or contactor mechanism andl which may remain in position when the Contact unit is removed.

The example shown in Figure 2 is of a normally closed contactor. Apart from this distinction it differs from that shown in Figure 1 in thatthe connecting lelements 8 and 9V take the form of a screw 8 and a projection 18 which engages in an aperture 19in the terminal member 21, connected to the support 7 by member 13.

A spring 20 is provided to maintain the member 18 in constant engagement with the edge of the aperture 19, thus ensuring satisfactory electrical contact.

Illustrated in Figure 3 is a normally open contactor of the kind shown in Figure 1 in which the contact block is secured to the support 7 in the same manner as that described with reference to Figure 2.

In the example shown in Figure 4, the connecting elements are the screw 8 and the rod 19. The rod 19 has transverse lugs 22 below which engages a fork 18 on a stationary contact 2. Rod 19 extends through the terminal members 13 and 21. A spring 23, bears at one end against stops 24 and at the other end against the member 13, urging the fork 18 constantly against the terminal 13 thereby providing an electrical and mechanical connection between the contact`2 and member 13.

I claim:

l. An electric switch arrangement comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base and two mainl terminals mounted thereon, said terminals adapted to be connected to respective leads; a switchV unit including an insulating body, a switch member mounted on said insulating body and a pair of secondary terminals connected to said insulating body and having portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals, the outer end of one of said secondary terminals being interposed between the associated end of the insulating body and the associated main terminal; and means adapted to removably connect said switch unit to said terminal unit by connecting said secondary terminals to said main terminals, comprising a single screw fastening said end of the insulating body and said end of the associated secondary terminal together and to said associated main terminal.

2. An electric switch arrangement comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base and two main terminals mounted thereon, said terminals adapted to be connected'torespective leads; a switch unit including an insulating body, a'switch member mounted on said insulating body and a pair of secondary terminals connected to said insulating body and having portions adapted tobe connected to said main terminals one of said secondary terminals being fixed to said insulating body and having an outer end portion projecting from said insulating body; andmeans adapted to removably connect said s witchv unit to saidterminal unit by.con necting said secondary terminals to said main terminals, comprising an auxiliary terminal member having an apertured free end portion fixed Vto one` of said main terminals adjacent to said projecting end portion of said secondary terminal, with said projecting end portion lodging in the'aperture ofn said auxiliaryterminal member, and a flat spring finger held between said main terminal and said auxiliary terminal and arranged to have pressure engagement with said end portion so as to eliminate play thereof in said aperture.

3. An electric switch arrangement, comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base and two main terminals mounted thereon, said terminals adapted to be connected to respective leads and constituting a gap between each other; a switch unit including an insulating body, a pair of secondary terminals connected 4to Asaid insulating body and having portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals; a switch member cooperative with said secondary terminals; and an insulating carrier member for said switch member mounted for sliding movement in said insulating body between switch opening and switch closing positions and having a free end portion extending through said gap, with resilient compression means provided within said carrier member urging the same and said switch member into switch opening position relative to said secondary terminals: and means adapted to removably connect said switch unit to said terminal unit bv connecting said secondary terminals to respective main terminals.

4. An electric switch arrangement, comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base and two main terminals mounted thereon, said terminals adapted to be connected to respective leads and constituting a gap between each other; a switch unit including an insulating body, a pair of secondary terminals connected to said insulating body and having portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals; a switch member cooperative with said secondary terminals; and an insulating carrier member for said switch member mounted for sliding movement in said insulating body between switch opening and switch closing positions and having a free end portion extending through said gap. with resilient compression means provided within said carrier member tending to urge the same and said switch member into switch closing position against said secondary terminals, and means adapted to removably connect said switch unit to said terminal unit by connecting said secondary terminals to respective main terminals.

5. An electric switch arrangement, comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base and two main terminals mounted thereon, said terminals adapted to be connected to respective leads and constituting a gap between each other; a switch unit including an insulatingbody, a pair of secondary terminals connected to said insulating body and having portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals; a switch member cooperative with said secondary terminals; and an insulating carrier member for said switch member mounted for sliding movement .in said insulating body between switch opening and switch closingpositions and having a free` end portion extending through said gap, with resilient .compression means provided within said carrier member tending to urge the same and said switch 4 member away from said insulating body into switch opening position relative to said secondary terminals, said carrier member having an abutment face adapted to engage one of said secondary terminals and defining said opening position; and means adapted to removably connect said switch unit to said terminal unit by connecting said secondary terminals to respective main terminals.

6. An electric switch arrangement, comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base' and two maint terminals mounted thereon, said terminals being adaptedl to be connected to. respective leads;v a switch unitincluding an insulating body, a pair of Vspaced secondary terminals having outer portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals, respectively, a pair of contact points fixed to .the inner portions of said secondary terminals, respectively, and a switch member cooperating with said contact and movably mounted on said insulating .body;,and,means for removably connecting said switch unit to the terminal unitand said secondary terminalsV to saidswitch unit and comprising a plurality of screws for fastening at least one of said main terminals to said outer portion of one of said secondary terminals and for fastening at least one of said secondary terminals to said insulating body, all of said screws being accessible without disassembling the switcharrangement so that at least one of lsaid secondary terminals may be dismounted without disassembling the switcharrangement and whereby said switch unit may be removed from said terminal unit while leaving the leads connected to the latter.

7. An electric switch arrangement, comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating Vbase and two main terminals mounted thereon, said terminals being adapted to be connected to respective leads; a switch unit including an insulating body, a pair of spaced secondary terminals having outer portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals, respectively, a pair of contact points fixed to the inner portions of said secondary terminals, respectively, and a switch member cooperating with said contact and movably mounted on said insulating body; and means for removably connecting said switch unit to the terminal unit and said secondary terminals to said switch unit and comprising a plurality of screws for fastening at least one of said main terminals to said outer portion of one of said secondary terminals and for fastening both of saidsecondary terminals to said insulating body, all of said screws being accessible without. disassembling the switch arrangement so that both of said secondary terminals may be dismounted w'ithout disassembling the switch arrangement and whereby said switch unit may be removed from said terminal unit while leaving the leads connected to the latter.

8. An electric switch arrangement, comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base and two main terminals mounted thereon, said terminals being adapted to be connected to respective leads; a switch unit including an insulating body, a pair of spaced secondary terminals having outer portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals, respectively, the outer portion of one of said secondary terminals being inter-- posed between the associated end of said insulating body and the associated main terminal, a pair of contact points fixed to the inner portions of said secondary terminals, respectively, and a switch member cooperating with said contact and movably mounted on said insulating body; and means for removably connecting said switch unit to the terminal unit and said secondary terminals to said switch unit and comprising, a single screw fastening the outer portion of said one secondary terminal and the associated end of the insulating body together and to said associated main terminal, and another screw for fastening the other of saidY secondary terminals to' said insulating body, all of. said screws being accessible without disassembling .the switch arrangement so that both of said secondary terminals may be dismounted without disassembling the switch arrangement and whereby said switch unit may be removed from said terminal unit while leaving the leads connected to the latter.

9. An electric switch arrangement, comprising, in combination, a terminal unit including an insulating base and two main terminals mounted thereon, said terminals being adapted to be connected to respective leads; a switch unit including an insulating body, a pair of spaced secondary terminals having outer portions adapted to be connected to said main terminals, respectively, the outer portion of one of said secondary terminals being interposed between the associated end of said insulating body and the associated main terminal, a pair of contact points fixed t0 the inner portions of said secondary terminals, respectively, and a switch member cooperating with said contact and movably mounted on said insulating body; and means for removably connecting said switch unit to the terminal unit and said secondary terminals to said switch unit and comprising a single screw fastening the outer portion of said one secondary terminal and the associated end of the insulating body together and to said associated main terminal, spring means operatively connected to the other of said main terminals and the other of said secondary terminals for resiliently holding said other secondary terminal against said other main terminal for establishing electrical connection between said two terminals, and another screw for fastening the other of said secondary terminals to said insulating body, all of said screws being accessible without disassembling the switch arrangement so that both of said secondary terminals may be dismounted without disassembling the switch arrangement and whereby said switch unit may be removed from said terminal unit while leaving the leads connected to the latter.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,742,754 Carlson Ian. 7, 1930 2,172,218 Mylius Sept. 5, 1939 2,172,633 Wilms Sept. 12, 1939 2,394,090 McFarland Feb. 5, 1946 2,545,986 Basnett Mar. 20, 1951 2,832,873 Goudy et al. Apr. 29, 1958 

